Description
Book Synopsis This is the thrilling story of USS Enterprise (CVN-65), the world''s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Her story spans 51 years (1961-2012) of active service from the brink of nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis to the first global cruise by nuclear-powered ships, to the first strikes during the Vietnam War, battles against the Iranians and Iraqis in the 1980s and 1990s, a pivotal role during 9/11 and the Global War on Terrorism, and hunting pirates off the Horn of Africa. More than just an operational history of Enterprise, this book recounts the experiences of the men and women who served on board--the pilots who flew from the flight deck, the men who fought to save the ship during a fire in 1969, the sailors who brought retribution against Al-Qaeda terrorists--with detailed descriptions of sorties through flak-filled skies and harrowing escapes from capture behind enemy lines. This book is dedicated to the men and women who have served on board Big E
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface
1. We Are Defending Our Homeland
2. Carry the Fight to the Enemy
3. Queen of the Seas
4. Offensive Action
5. Surprise Attack
6. A Full Retaliatory Response
7. A Smell of Burning Hung in the Air
8. We Will Test the Ability of These New Ships
9. The Order of Golden Shellbacks
10. To Slash at the Viet Cong
11. A New Era
12. In a Death Grip
13. Smoking Rubble
14. Pull Up! Pull Up!
15. Bandits
16. Untold Horror Exists Behind the Door
17. An Act of Piracy
18. Nuclear Options
19. Annihilate and Crush
20. The Dirtiest Type of Fighting
21. Both Guns Returning Enemy Fire
22. The Confidence of the MiG Pilots
23. Fire Roaring Across the Deck
24. A Quick and Telling Blow
25. Lose Confidence
26. No Advanced Warning
27. We Must Punish the Enemy
28. MiG Killers
29. From Generosity to Treachery
30. Anytime Baby
31. Rapidly Deteriorated
32. Extraordinary Reception
33. In All Seas and Oceans
34. Hell Lies Under the Arabian Gulf
35. The Line of Death
36. The Stark Has Been Hit
37. Vietnam Was Hovering Over Everyone's Shoulder
38. Incredible Bravery
39. We've Shed Enough Blood
40. Why We Are Really Here
41. To Make Saddam Pay
42. Broke His Undertakings
43. When You Least Expect It
44. We're Not Going Home
45. Fight to the Death
46. A Whole New Attack
47. You Never Defeated US
48. A Conflict of a Different Kind
49. We Are a Nation at War
50. The Character of America
Appendix 1: Commanding Officers
Appendix 2: Principal Deployments
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
